1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to automotive hood hinges and more particularly to an elastomeric torsion hood hinge.
2. Prior Art
Automotive vehicle hoods and trunk lids, herein both referred to as hoods, are normally attached to the remainder of the body through a hinge connection allowing a pivoting opening of the hood. Although many different hinges have been suggested, the most common fall into two categories, i.e., free hinges and spring hinges. Free hinges offer no resistance to the closing of the hood and do not counterbalance the weight of the hood when opened. Such free hinges require the use of manual support braces when the hood is to be left open.
Spring hinges, on the other hand, normally employ spring devices to maintain the hood in an open position and to resist closure. The spring devices are, most popularly steel torsion springs. Such spring hinges offer a distinct advantage over free hinges in that they automatically maintain the hood in an elevated position when it is not positively latched in a closed position.
Recent vehicle design has greatly emphasized weight reduction. Such steel torsion springs, and their attended support structure represent an added weight which neither contributes to the operation of the vehicle nor to its appearance.
Although it is known that rubber springs can offer a weight reduction over steel springs in many instances, they have not heretofore found acceptance as vehicle hood hold-open devices.
It would therefore be an advance in the art to provide a lightweight hood hold-open hinge device and more particularly one employing the use of rubber torsion springs.